Refrigerating apparatus



*Ma/Y 9,1944-` M. J. GouLoozE 2,348,379

` REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed oct. 1s. 1941 l .//lf I 'd F 'gg ems 1NvENToR.`

[747257717 J GaaLaaze Patented May 9, 1944 UNITED ,SITAI'ESl PATENT OFFICE YREFRIG;ERATING APPARATUS Martin J. Goulooze, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to Nash-Kelvinator Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Maryland Application October 16, 1941', Serial No. 415,186

1 Claim.

nets.

It is an object of the present invention to join the inner and outer walls of a refrigerator cabi- K net Yby a breaker strip comprising a non-heat conducting flexible member and a flexible metallic member interjoined to provide a rigid structure when assembled to the cabinet walls.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an arrangement whereby the parts may be easily and quickly assembled without use of screws, nails or the like.

The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, may be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

In the drawing- Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a refrigerator cabinet embodying the present invention;

, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

f Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Shown in the drawing is a refrigerator cabinet I having a food storage compartment I2 to which access is had through a swingably mounted door I4.

The cabinet III comprises an outer shell or casing I6 and an inner shell or liner I9. The liner I9 forms the walls or sides of the food storage compartment and is in spaced apart relation to the sides of the outer casing I6 for insertion of heat insulation material therebetween.

The outer casing is formed to provide a front wall portion 22 for the cabinet I0. The marginal edge of the front wall portion 22 is bent at right angles to provide a rearwardly extending portion 23, and then bent at right angles to provide a parallel continuation of the front wall, as at 24. The marginal edge 25 of the liner I9 is bent at right angles to extend outwardly from the sides of the liner. The edges of portions 24 and 26 of the inner and outer shells terminate' a spatial distance apart to be interconnected or joined by a breaker strip 30.

The breaker strip 30 comprises a non-heat conducting member 32, and a metallic member 34. The member 30 is formed with a main body portion 36 that extends over the marginal edges 24 and 26 which are receivable in slits 39 formed in a respective thickened edge portion of the member 32.

the thickened portions are adapted to embrace the rear side of the marginal edges 24 and 26. The member 32 is preferably formed of soft rubber or the like, though it will appear obvious that it may be formed of other material which permits a flexing of the body portion 36 to allow the insertion of the edges 24 and 26 into a respective slit 39 by sliding the thickened portion of the member 32 thereupon. The portion 23 of the outer casing serves as a shoulder or `stop to prevent lateral movement of the member 32.

Reinforcing against exure of the member 32 is the metallic member 34 whose ends are received in recesses 42 formed in the body portion 36. The recesses are formed adjacent each end of the body portion 35 and extend inwardly from the face portion at an angle so as to permit the metallic member to extend in an arc therebetween. The metallic member 34 is formed of relatively thin resilient material which when compressed in an arc in the member 32 its normal tendency is to move its ends outwardly thereby holding the thickened edge portions of the member 32 in fixed relation to the respective edges of the cabinet wall.

In the preferred form the member 34 is shown as extending in a convex or outwardly extending arc, if desired, the member may extend in a concave or inwardly extending arc as shown in Fig. 3.

In assembling the breaker strip to the cabinet, the member 34 is rst set in position between the edges 24 and 26 and locked thereto by the member 34. This co-relation of the metallic member with the non-heat conducting member provides a rigid structure when assembled to the cabinet, as each serves as a holder for the other. As only the non-heat conducting member 32 is in Contact with the inner and outer shells heat conduction therebetween is reduced to a minimum.

Similar breaker strips extend along the opposite side of the cabinet adjacent the door opening 551, and immediately above the food storage compartment, and also immediately below the food storage compartment. Since the principle of attaching the other breaker strips are identical and similar in structure and attachment as breaker strip 3B further disclosure is deemed unnecessary.

In the drawing, the breaker strip is shown extending diagonally between the front wall of the cabinet and the side wall of the food storage compartment. It will appear obvious that the angularity may be varied without departing from the structure and that the breaker strip may, if

The rear portions or tongues 40 of 5b desired, be either in alignment with the front wall of the cabinet, or with the Wall of the compartment by merely extending one of the Walls to be in planular alignment with the other.

The door I4 is provided with a gasket 52 adapted to seal against the face of the front wall portion 22 of the cabinet to prevent air entering the food storage compartment.

While I have shown and described the preferred forms of my invention, I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details as shown but wish to avail myself of such variations and modifications as may come within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim: A cabinet construction comprising spaced apart Walls having their marginal'edges' bent to extend a edges of said walls, said means on the face of the toward each other and in spaced apart relation,

an insulated flexible breaker strip disposed betion.

breaker strip normally being so spaced that said resilient strip remains bowed in operative posi- MARTIN J. GOULOOZE. 

